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Blame upsets Quality Road in Whitney Invitational

Sat 7th, August 2010

Saratoga Springs, NY (Sports Network) - Blame, ridden by Garrett Gomez, overtook odds-on favorite Quality Road late in the stretch to win Saturday's $750,000 Whitney Invitational at Saratoga Race Course. The victory gives the four-year-old colt a guaranteed spot in this year's Breeders' Cup Classic.

Quality Road, trained by Todd Pletcher, was the 2-5 morning-line favorite and was sent off as the 1-2 pick for the 1 1/8-mile race. Blame was the 3-1 second choice in the six horse field.

With John Velazquez riding, Quality Road set a leisurely pace followed by Haynesfield, Musket Man, Blame, Jardim and Mine That Bird. Quality Road went the first half-mile in just over 48-seconds.

Around the turn for home Quality Road was still in command with Musket Man second and Blame on the outside moving into third. At the top of the stretch the favorite had a clear lead with Blame moving past Musket Man into second.

With a furlong to run Blame was right behind Quality Road and gaining. Just yards until the wire Blame caught Quality Road and was able to register a head victory at historic Saratoga.

"I was just biding my time until we turned for home," Gomez noted. "I just didn't want to sit too long because he's got a long, consistent run and just keeps coming. I just wanted to make sure that when we turned for home, I did have him in a good place. He kept staying on and in that last eighth of a mile, when I finally got right to (Quality Road), I said 'I got him'."

Musket Man held on for third followed by Haynesfield, Mine That Bird and Jardim.

The time for the Whitney was 1:48.88 on a fast track.

"We had a comfortable trip, set reasonable fractions, and just got run down at the wire," said Pletcher. "He (Blame) ran a big race."

Trained by Al Stall, Jr., Blame posted his fifth straight win, all in stakes events. The colt has won eight of 11 lifetime starts, and the $450,000 from Saturday pushes his career earnings to more than $1.5 million.

"I'm thrilled to death for everyone involved," said Stall. "The fact we were within four or five lengths from the three-eighths pole to the wire - he's pretty tough. If he's within striking distance of a horse, he usually gets there. That's what I've learned about him in the last six months or so."

The four-year-old, owned by Adele Dilschneider, was coming off a win in the Stephen Foster Handicap in June at Churchill Downs. Last year at Saratoga Blame won the Curlin Stakes for three-year-olds.

Blame paid $8.80, $3.00 and $2.20. Quality Road returned $2.40 and $2.10, and Musket Man paid $2.50 to show.

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